Apple has announced that over 110 manufacturing partners from its production line will be adopting 100% renewable energy, and investing in nearly 8GW of clean energy. The realization of these promises will reduce over 15 million tons of carbon dioxide emission each year, which equals a decrement of 3.4 million units of vehicles on the road.
In addition, Apple is on the verge of investing directly in a renewable energy program to compensate partial upstream emission, and will be seeking new solutions to renewable energy infrastructures by establishing an extensive energy storage project in California.
Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, commented that the company is dedicated in assisting suppliers in achieving the target of carbon neutrality before 2030, and is delighted to see that this renewable energy target comprises of participating businesses from various global industries and countries, including Germany, China, US, India, and France. Jackson further commented that Apple continues to work with the global network that is formed with its employees, as well as multiple companies and advocates, in the midst of this distinctive year, and transforms the efforts and contribution on environmental issues into a form of benevolence. Apple is also working with areas that are sustaining the most severe degree of climate change to strive for the maximum results.
In fact, Apple had announced a plan back in July 2020 regarding the achievement of carbon neutrality in the supply chain, as well as all businesses and product life cycles, and has significantly increased the quantity of renewable energy suppliers since the announcement of the plan. Apple has achieved carbon neutrality in global business operations, and the new guarantee assures that each Apple device sold after 2030 will achieve zero climate impact. Apple recently announced its expenditure of US$4.7 billion in “green bond” that supports the environmental protection plans of all round the world.
Global Energy Program
Apple pointed out that sharing the experience of adopting 100% renewable energy with the suppliers, as well as introducing various resources and cultivation materials to the suppliers, will be able to instruct and guide them in marching towards the transformation of renewable energy. Apple is also providing counselling services for various suppliers through advanced training tailored by experts. Furthermore, Apple is an advocate in the establishment and development of renewable energy industry associations, which offer further understanding in the opportunities for local development.
Numerous markets operated by Apple provide limited selections of clean energy for suppliers. In order to break through this barricade, Apple has set up the “China Clean Energy Fund” that allows the company and suppliers to invest in different clean energy programs, and has generated over 1GW of renewable energy. With the successive emergence of similar patterns in the world, Apple has offered an opportunity for suppliers to purchase renewable energy directly from clean energy project developers and utility companies.
Looking into the future, the cooperation between Apple and its suppliers will be incorporated with the former’s development experience in the field of renewable energy, which refers to the investment in the energy storage solution of renewable energy plants.
Energy Storage and Progress in the 2030 Plan
Regarding power storage, Apple is currently establishing California Flats, which is one of the largest power storage project in the US. This leading grid-level energy storage project is capable of storing 240MW of energy per hour that is enough for one day of power consumption for 7,000 households. The project will support the 130MW solar plant of Apple, and provide all renewable energy required by California through the storage and deployment of excessive energy during daytime.
Wind and solar energy are the new power sources that offer the largest degree of cost effectiveness for many regions in the world, though they are impeded in a vast adoption due to the intermittent element, which can be resolved through energy storage that preserves the generated energy until it is needed. Apple is currently invested in the energy storage program for utility companies in California, and studying various new energy storage technology, while establishing distributed energy storage facilities through the micro grid of Apple Park in Santa Clara Valley.
Apple also pointed out that its carbon footprint is decreasing continuously under the growth of net profit at a current reduction of 40%, which signals the smooth sailing in the pursuance of the 2030 target. Methods such as the application of low-carbon materials, elevation of energy efficiency, and the use of clean energy have avoided a carbon emission of more than 15 million tons.
(Photo source: Apple)